10  ,^T,     2. 


Jrom  \\\t  Eibrartf  nf 

X\\t  ffitbrare  of 
J^rtnrrton  Sljeolngtral  S^^mtttarQ 


BV  4647  .02  B37  ^ 

Bates,  Virginia 

Breckinridge . 
Hov;  may  I  know  the  voice  of 

God  in  my  soul? 


By 
Virginia  Breckinridge  Bates 


THE  religious    PUBLISHING    COMPANY 
192  MICHIGAN  AVENUE  CHICAGO 


P"!    ^  0 


Copyright  1906 
By  Virginia  Breckinridge  Bates 


PRKSS  OF 
AITKEN  «c  CURTIS  COMPANY 
CHICAGO 


Holy  Ghost,  unerring  guide. 
Lead  me^  lest  I  turn  aside. 
Let  my  will  so  yielded  be, 
I  can  hear  Thee  speak  to  me. 


TO  THE  MEMBERS 

of  the 

WEDNESDAY  CLASS  OF  ST.  LOUIS 

and  the 

TUESDAY  CLASS  OF  CHICAGO 

with  deep  affection  and  with  the  prayer  that 

it  may  carry  a  helpful  thought  to  each 

heart  and  life,  this  little  book 

is  dedicated. 


THE   STORY 

This  is  not  a  treatise,  but  a  practical  talk 
— a  paper  prepared  and  put  into  permanent 
form  by  request.  It  was  read  before  a  young 
woman's  class  or  club,  which  has  had  a  thou- 
sand or  more  members  and  has  continued 
with  uninterrupted  weekly  meetings  during 
a  long  term  of  years. 

The  class  was  originated  by  two  little  girls, 
who,  having  become  interested  in  religious 
matters  through  evangelistic  meetings,  were 
praying  together  in  their  own  homes. 

Branch  classes  have  been  formed  and  the 
members  are  widely  scattered,  filling  the  vari- 
ous avenues  of  usefulness  and  of  influence. 
Among  them  are  mothers  of  families,  daugh- 

7 


ters  at  home,  missionaries,  wives  of  ministers, 
teachers,  kindergartners,  and  many  others. 
Some  are  actively  connected  with  the  Young 
Women's  Christian  Association  and  the  Order 
of  the  King's  Daughters.  The  children  of 
some  of  the  charter  members  are  old  enough 
to  enjoy  the  meetings.  The  number  of  Sun- 
day school  children  that  have  been  taught 
by  the  members  would  probably  reach  into 
the  thousands. 

There  are  in  connection  with  the  class  an 
organized  system  of  benevolence  and  a  cir- 
culating library. 

A  program  has  been  introduced  containing 
subjects  for  each  week  of  the  year. 

The  subjects  treated  in  the  meetings  are 
exclusively  religious,  and  for  years  the  mem- 
bers united  in  repeating  the  following  prayer: 

"Oh,  that  Thou  wouldest  bless  me  indeed,  and 
enlarge  my  coast,  and  that  Thine  hand  might  be 
with  me,  and  that  Thou  wouldest  keep  me  from 
evil  that  it  may  not  grieve  me." 


8 


"gToite  of  #oti  m  mj^oul? 


IPotce  of  (llotj  in  m^  g)oul? 


GOD'S  dealings  with  us  are 
strange.  Even  in  small 
things,  we  are  amazed  oft- 
times  at  His  methods,  and 
the  fact  that  I  am  present- 
ing this  theme  to  you  to-day, 
my  dear  friends,  is  an  evidence  of  it.  It  is, 
in  a  way,  an  answer  to  my  strong  cries  in 
prayer  to  Him,  that  He  would  teach  me  to 
know  His  voice  in  my  own  soul,  to  discern  it 
among  the  many  voices  there,  and  to  obey  it. 
In  studying  for  you,  I  have  learned  deep 
lessons  for  myself,  and  I  long  and  pray  that 
I  may  be  able  to  impart  them  to  you. 

In  sending  you  the  list  of  subjects,  for 
which  you  asked,  I  did  not  know  that  I  should 
be  requested  to  expound  this  one  to  you, 
else  I  should  not  have  dared  to  send  it.  But 
is  it  not  the  most  essential  question  in  life, 
9 


^oul 


tKije  IJoite  of  (^ob 

^'^  — ^life  itself,  really, — since  to  know  God  **is 
*"P  life  eternal,"  and  without  this  knowledge  we 
are  wandering — aimless — with  no  assurance 
for  this  life,  and  none  for  the  life  everlasting. 

As  it  had  been  the  theme  of  my  own  long- 
ings and  my  prayers,  I  thought  it  would 
help  you  to  consider  it,  as  I  had  done,  to 
ponder  over  and  pray  about  it,  hoping  for 
growing  light.  This  light  we  must  seek  until 
we  find;  this  knowledge  we  are  under  the 
deepest  obligation  to  acquire,  since  life,  pres- 
ent and  future,  Christian  character  and 
Christian  influence  depend  upon  our  obtain- 
ing it. 

What  difference,  then,  does  it  make  to  you 
or  to  me  whether  or  not  we  know  and  heed  the 
voice  of  God — as  especially  spoken  to  us — in 
our  souls.'*  Ah,  my  precious  friends,  it  makes 
every  difference — all  difference !  Therein  lies 
the  very  secret  of  life  and  hope,  or  the  very 
sting — hidden  but  real — the  beginning  of  fail- 
ure and  death.  Then  we  do  well  to  ponder 
deeply  and  to  know  this  voice,  in  the  obeying  of 


10 


^oul 


tffifje  ^otce  of  (gob 

which  is  embodied  the  very  essence  of  success    *^^ 
and  blessing.     Is  it  not  a  wonderful  truth  that    ^<=^ 
God  condescends  to  speak  to  us  at  all?     And 
as  He  does,  should  it  not  be  the  aim  of  our 
existence  to  hear  and    to  comprehend    His 
voice? 

Our  heavenly  Father  guides  us  in  many 
ways,  though  all  of  the  examples  we  could 
give  should  probably  be  grouped  under  one  of 
the  three  following  heads:  He  guides  us  by 
His  Holy  Word— the  Bible,  by  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  by  His  providence.  Yet  we  cannot  pur- 
sue the  argument — in  each  division  of  the 
topic — logically  to  its  close,  as  their  lines  cross 
each  other  at  times,  finally  blending.  Thus 
without  the  interpretation  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
the  Word  of  God,  in  its  deeper  meaning,  is 
incomprehensible  to  man;  while  the  Spirit 
generally  uses  the  words  of  the  Bible  as  the 
medium  of  His  communication  to  the  heart 
of  man;  and  the  providences  of  God  are  inex- 
plicable without  the  light  of  both  the  Word  of 
God  and  the  Spirit  of  God. 
II 


^DUl 


^^  You  will  remember  how  our  blessed  Saviour, 
*^^c  in  His  hour  of  temptation,  repeated  again  and 
again,  *'It  is  written" — quoting  the  Word  of 
God  to  the  adversary.  His  example  is  tran- 
scendent! We  have — we  need — no  higher 
proof  that  God  speaks  to  the  soul,  through 
His  written  word. 

And  how  many  manifestations  we  have  of 
His  speaking  thus  in  our  daily  experience. 
The  Christians  who  know  God's  Word  and 
are  familiar  with  its  contents,  looking  to  the 
Spirit  to  reveal  its  meaning  to  them,  need  not 
to  be  told  this.  "VVTien  I  began  to  think  upon 
our  theme  of  to-day  verse  after  verse  came  to 
me,  a  veritable  throng,  bearing  directly  upon 
it  and  throwing  clear  light,  showing  that  God 
does  speak  to  the  soul  through  His  Word. 

"Thy  word  is  a  lamp  unto  my  feet,  and  a 
light  unto  my  path."  The  Holy  Spirit  " shall 
take  "  of  the  things  of  God,  and  "  shew  them 
unto  us."  Foremost  among  the  verses  that 
came  to  me  was  the  following,  which  is  an  exact 
Biblical  answer  to  the  subject  of  our  lesson. 

12 


Cfje  "^oite  of  <iob 


The  question  we  ask  is :  "  How  may  I  know 


m 


the  voice  of  God  in  my  soul?"     The  answer    ^? 


is :  "I  beseech  you  therefore,  brethren,  by  the 
mercies  of  God,  that  ye  present  your  bodies  a 
living  sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable  unto  God, 
which  is  your  reasonable  service.  And  be  not 
conformed  to  this  world;  but  be  ye  trans- 
formed by  the  renewing  of  your  mind,  that 
ye  may  prove  what  is  that  good,  and  accept- 
able, and  perfect  will  of  God." 

It  is  the  will  of  God  that  we  wish  to  know 
in  the  voice.  It  is  for  the  purpose  of  indicat- 
ing His  will  that  He  speaks,  and  in  order  that 
our  will  may  be  transformed  into  the  likeness 
of  His  own,  and  that  our  actions  may  follow 
our  renewed  mind  and  will. 

Part  of  another  verse  is  almost  as  clear  a 
response  to  our  question.  "Then  shall  we 
know  if  we  follow  on  to  know."  It  is  not  for 
the  still  small  voice  we  are  listening,  as  did 
Elijah  when  he  stood  forth,  we  like  the  scenic 
effect  of  the  wind,  the  earthquake  and  the 
fire,  but  God  was  in  none  of  them.     As  God 

13 


^ovA 


Cije'^oiceof  (gob  • 

^"  manifests  Himself  to  us,  even  so  must  we 
*^P  accept  Him,  else  we  cannot  receive  Him  at 
^^^l  all.  He  has  foreordained  that  in  the  still 
small  voice — the  voice  of  the  Spirit  recalling 
His  word — He  will  reveal  Himself  to  man, 
and  this  voice  in  the  soul  is  inaudible,  unless 
we  listen,  and  stifled  if  we  fail  to  obey.  To 
follow  on  means  to  obey  as  we  know !  Each 
known  wish  of  God  eagerly  heard  and  fulfilled 
gives  a  keener  ear  for  His  spiritual  communi- 
cations, and  a  renewed  aptness  and  zeal  in 
obeying  the  next  command. 

May  I  plead  with  you  a  moment  from  my 
own  experience.^  Personally  I  have  suffered 
pain  which  I  call  anguish,  because  of  failures, 
long  ago  past.  Out  of  the  years  comes  the 
memory  of  some  lack  of  thoughtfulness,  some 
selfishness,  some  wrong  done;  and  how  often 
is  this  repeated  now  in  our  daily  life!  No 
matter  how  trifling  the  circumstances  may 
seem  at  the  time,  or  how  grave,  nothing  is 
unimportant  when  the  element  of  right  or 
wrong  is  to  be  considered. 

14 


tSCfje  Voitt  of  (§ob 

Oh,  how  I  should  love  to  save  you  from  this  ^•^ 
suffering,  and  to  lead  you  once  and  forever  to  *^ 
ask,  "What  does  the  voice  say,  what  is  God*s  ^^'J^* 
will  in  this  case,  what  does  the  trend  of  the 
Bible  teach  me,  how  does  the  Spirit  apply  the 
teaching  to  my  soul  in  this  instance?  Not 
what  I  want  to  do;  let  me  not  even  consider 
this  question,  but  only  and  always  what  I 
ought  to  do."  Only  in  this  path  are  happi- 
ness and  safety.  However  narrow  it  may 
seem  to  one  outside,  it  is  the  only  way  of 
peace  and  righteousness.  It  recalls  the  sacred 
words:  "An  highway  shall  be  there,  and  a 
way,  and  it  shall  be  called  The  Way  of  holi- 
ness; the  unclean  shall  not  pass  over  it;  but 
it  shall  be  for  those:  the  wayfaring  men, 
though  fools,  shall  not  err  therein." 

God  is  the  great  source  of  power,  of  force, 
of  helpfulness,  of  hope.  We  are  standing  in 
a  place  of  danger.  Few  persons  realize  this, 
and  when  I  say  realize,  I  mean  few  are  so 
convinced  of  their  peril  as  to  take  the  practi- 
cal means  of  protection  and  safety.  God,  as 
15 


Cfie  yoke  of  (gob 

^'^  He  bestows  Himself  upon  us  is  the  only  all- 
"^P  powerful  helper  and  protector. 
^OUl  \Yg.  meet  each  day  individually  as  it  comes, 
not  the  whole  life  in  one  mass,  and  on  the 
one  hand  God  has  warned  us  of  its  dangers, 
and  on  the  other  hand  has  revealed  to  us  His 
power  to  succor  us.  His  voice  in  the  Word 
promises  this,  through  the  Holy  Spirit  He 
bestows  His  strength  upon  us,  and  in  the 
providences  of  life  He  shows  us  our  practical 
needs  and  the  all-sufficient  help  which  he 
gives.  Since  all  help  comes  from  God,  the 
first  important  duty  of  each  day  is  to  go  to 
God  and  be  equipped  for  that  day. 

The  day  is  the  life  in  miniature.  If  God 
speaks  to  us  through  the  Bible,  and  by  laying 
His  words  up  in  our  minds,  it  becomes  possi- 
ble for  the  Holy  Spirit  to  recall  them  to  our 
memory  later,  then,  the  first  duty  of  each  day 
is  to  prepare  for  that  day,  in  all  it  may  bring, 
by  hearing  God's  voice  distinctly  in  His  Word, 
by  being  silent  before  Him  and  by  praying  the 
Spirit  to  open  our  hearts  to  receive  His  truth. 
i6 


Cfje  IJoice  of  (gob 

When  in  my  own  experience  I  feel  I  must  *^^ 
get  great  help  from  our  Heavenly  Father,  I  ^^ 
first  implore  the  intercession  of  Christ  Jesus  ^*^^^^ 
our  Lord  and  Saviour,  who  *'ever  liveth  to 
make  intercession  for  us."  Then  I  ask  the 
Holy  Spirit  to  pray  with  me,  for  He  "  maketh 
intercession  for  us  with  groanings  which  can- 
not be  uttered."  To  get  into  close  personal 
relations  with  God — to  comprehend  His  voice 
as  He  speaks  to  us  in  the  soul — this  is  the 
key  note  of  true  Christian  living,  and  it  is 
just  here  that  many  Christians  fail.  They 
start  out  to  meet  the  battle  of  life  utterly  un- 
prepared. They  do  not  calculate  the  abso- 
lute disadvantage  at  which  they  distinctly 
place  themselves. 

There  is  a  burden  of  life  which  must  be 
borne,  and  man's  strength  is  inadequate  for 
it.  The  cares  of  life  alone  will  crush  a  man 
unaided,  and  God's  voice  has  so  plainly  said, 
"Cast  all  your  care  upon  Me."  "Be  careful 
for  nothing;  but  in  everything  by  prayer  and 
supplication  with  thanksgiving,  let  your  re- 
17 


tS^t  yoice  of  (iob 

^^  quests  be  made  known  unto  God.  And  the 
>a.  f  peace  of  God,  which  passeth  all  understand- 
^UUi  jjjg^  shall  keep  your  hearts  and  minds  through 
Christ  Jesus."  Only  in  prayer — real  prayer 
— not  the  vague  repetition  that  we  call 
prayer,  but  the  prayer  that  lays  hold  upon 
God,  can  we  obtain  this  help.  "  Let  him  take 
hold  of  My  strength  that  he  may  make  peace 
with  Me;  and  he  shall  make  peace  with  Me." 
Besides  the  cares  of  life,  which  cover  all  of 
our  duties  and  responsibilities,  there  are  the 
temptations  of  life,  and  the  enemy  to  meet. 
The  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil  are  not 
unknown  to  us  in  their  baleful  influences,  nor 
has  the  heavenly  voice  left  us  without  sug- 
gestion in  regard  to  them.  "The  fashion  of 
this  world  passeth  away."  "What  is  a  man 
profited,  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world,  and 
lose  his  own  soul?  or  what  shall  a  man  give 
in  exchange  for  his  soul?"  "This  night  thy 
soul  shall  be  required  of  thee."  "Let  him 
that  thinketh  he  standeth  take  heed  lest  he 
fall."  "There  is  a  way  that  seemeth  right 
i8 


tlTfje  *^oice  of  <!lob 

unto  a  man,  but  the  end  thereof  are  the  ways    "^ 
of   death.     Even    in    laughter   the    heart    is    •J;^ 
sorrowful;  and  the  end  of  that  mirth  is  heavi-    S^'UUi 
ness."     Keep   thyself   "unspotted   from   the 
world."     "Put  ye  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  make  not  provision  for  the  flesh,  to  fulfill 
the  lusts  thereof." 

And  concerning  the  arch  tempter,  the  chief 
adversary  of  our  souls,  we  have  been  strictly 
charged:  "Neither  give  place  to  the  devil." 
"Resist  the  devil  and  he  will  flee  from  you." 
With  some  of  God's  devoted  people  it  is  one 
of  the  strongest  motives  in  resisting  the  power 
of  the  devil  that  they  have  a  deep-seated  aver- 
sion to  pleasing  him,  and  to  becoming  his 
dupes  and  slaves.  From  a  child  I  have  felt 
this  keenly.  Some  say  they  do  not  believe  in 
his  demoniacal  power,  but  they  have  forgot- 
ten our  Saviour's  encounter  with  the  evil  one 
and  the  intensity  of  the  admonition  to  us 
which  the  Holy  Word  contains.  We  have 
been  forewarned  that  we  simply  cannot  meet 
him  alone  and  unequipped.  "Put  on  the 
19 


^fjeyoiceof  (Soil 

^*^    whole  armour  of  God  that  ye  may  be  able 

"^<^    to  stand   against  the  wiles  of  the  devil,  for 

"IJUi    ^g  wrestle  not  against  flesh  and  blood,  but 

against  principalities,  against  powers,  against 

the   rulers    of   the   darkness   of   this    world, 

against  spiritual  wickedness  in  high  places." 

When,  therefore,  a  man  dares  any  morning 
to  start  out  upon  his  life,  unfortified  against 
care  and  temptation,  how  can  he  expect  to 
** stand"  in  his  place,  much  less  to  'run  the 
race  that  is  set  before"  him?  How  can  he 
hope  in  all  the  distractions  and  perils  of  the 
way,  to  hear  the  still  small  voice  of  God, 
within  the  soul,  unless  in  the  morning — when 
the  soul  is  empty  and  receptive — he  cares 
enough  to  establish  the  connection  with  God 
and  to  continue  it  throughout  the  day,  this 
union  begun  in  faith,  that  **  faith  which  cometh 
by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  Word  of  God"? 

But  above  all  other  fears,  to  the  devout 
heart,  is  that  of  dishonoring  its  Lord.  When 
He  comes  to  us  in  His  Word  as  the  tender 
Shepherd,  laying  down  His  life  for  His  wan- 

20 


W^t  "Vokt  of  (gob 

dering  sheep,  it  breaks  our  hearts  to  remem-    *^ 
ber  our  straying  away  from  Him.     And  for    *^ 
those  of  us  who  are  within  His  tender  fold,  let    ™"W* 
us  remember  that  the  test  of  our  being  His 
own  sheep  is  that  we  know  and  follow  His 
voice.     "And  the  sheep  hear  His  voice:  and 
He  calleth  His  own  sheep  by  name,  and  lead- 
eth  them  out.     And  when  He  putteth  forth 
His  own  sheep.  He  goeth  before  them,  and 
the  sheep  follow  Him;  for  they  know  His 
voice.     And  a  stranger  will  they  not  follow, 
but  will  flee  from  him ;  for  they  know  not  the 
voice  of  strangers." 

These  last  words  will  reveal  to  you,  my  dear 
friends,  why  I  have  so  longed  to  recognize 
the  voice  of  God  in  my  own  soul.  For  a  long 
time  past — it  may  be  for  years — this  part  of 
the  verse  has  come  to  me  as  a  refrain:  "My 
sheep  know  My  voice."  Its  cadence  has 
sounded  in  my  soul,  calling  me  to  a  clearer 
discernment  of  God*s  voice  and  will,  and  to 
a  closer  following. 

My  belief  is  that  we  should  yield  to  the  con- 

21 


Wt)t  'Voitt  of  (Sob 


m 


^DUl 


trol  of  our  Heavenly  Father  at  every  point  of 


"^F    our  way,  and  the  deep  grief  of  failing  to  do  so 


is  that  we  impair  the  usefulness  of  our  own 
lives,  wherever  our  path  diverges  from  the 
way  He  leads. 

And  how  it  crushes  our  hearts  to  feel  we 
are  dishonoring  our  Lord.  We  are  all  con- 
vinced surely  that  we  do  this  in  small  things, 
if,  indeed,  there  are  any  small  wrongs.  Each 
failure  in  the  life  of  a  Christian  seems  a  reflec- 
tion upon  his  God.  God  has  promised  to  keep 
us  if  we  will  look  to  Him  and  trust  Him  and 
hear  His  voice.  He  has  said :  "  He  is  able  to 
keep  us  from  falHng,"  and  *'to  make  all  grace 
abound  toward  us";  and  our  failures  tend  to 
make  others  doubt  His  power.  Then  we  be- 
come stumbling  blocks  in  their  way,  and  bring 
discredit  upon  our  Master,  while  if  we  will 
let  Him  lead  us,  the  evidence  of  His  power 
in  us  will  draw  others  to  Him. 

The  entire  life  should  come  under  His  juris- 
diction. The  Lord  Himself  makes  this  plain. 
"  O  Lord,  Thou  hast  searched  me,  and  known 

22 


Cfje  IJoite  of  ^oh 

me.     Thou  knowest  my  downsitting  and  mine    **^ 
uprising;  Thou  understandest  my  thought  afar    ^? 
off.     Thou  compassest  my  path  and  my  lying    ^''^***' 
down,  and  art  acquainted  with  all  my  ways. 
For  there  is  not  a  word  in  my  tongue,  but,  lo, 
O  Lord,  Thou  knowest  it  altogether."     And 
realizing  our  sins  and  shortcomings,  we  cry, 
''Search  me,  O  God,  and  know  my  heart:  try 
me,  and  know  my  thoughts:  and  see  if  there 
be  any  wicked  way  in  me,  and  lead  me  in 
the  way  everlasting." 

We  hear  men  of  the  world,  who  are  not 
overscrupulous,  in  their  idea  of  right,  speak 
lightly  of  the  joys  of  a  good  conscience.  This 
is  when  no  real  danger  threatens  them;  for  it 
is  true  that  "  Conscience  does  make  cowards 
of  us  all,"  and  why?  God's  voice  is  especially 
heard  in  the  conscience  of  man :  "  I  know  that 
Thou  wilt  not  hold  me  innocent.  If  I  wash 
myself  with  snow  water,  and  make  my  hands 
never  so  clean."  Not  all  consciences  are  en- 
lightened, some  are  "seared  with  a  hot  iron," 
"even  their  mind  and  conscience  is  defiled." 
23 


W^t  yoitc  of  (iob 

^"^  Yet  even  these  seem  at  times  to  be  pierced 
***^c  to  the  quick.  You  remember  the  scene,  when 
^OIU  Q^j.  Lord  stooped  down  and  wrote  on  the 
ground,  saying:  "He  that  is  without  sin 
among  you,  let  him  first  cast  a  stone."  "And 
they  which  heard  it,  being  convicted  by  their 
own  conscience  went  out  one  by  one,  begin- 
ning at  the  eldest  even  unto  the  last."  Not 
one  failed  to  feel  the  sting.  But  Christ  calls 
His  own  followers  to  a  good  conscience — the 
deepest  joy  that  one  can  experience  on  this 
earth.  "Our  rejoicing  is  this,  the  testimony 
of  our  conscience."  "Beloved,  if  our  hearts 
condemn  us  not,  then  have  we  confidence 
toward  God.  And  whatsoever  we  ask,  we 
receive  of  Him  because  we  keep  His  com- 
mandments, and  do  those  things  that  are 
pleasing  in  His  sight." 

What  a  clear  picture  is  this  of  mutual  con- 
fidence. The  Eternal  King  of  Heaven  holds 
converse  with  man,  assuring  him  that  He  is 
pleased  with  his  conduct  and  will  especially 
grant  his  requests!  The  Holy  Spirit  speaks 
24 


Cije  "^oite  of  (Sob 

to  the  consciences  of  men  always  along  the 
Hnes  of  the  revealed  Word  of  God  and  in  full  ^^ 
harmony  with  it.  The  peculiar  mission  of  SJ'UUl 
the  Spirit  is  "to  bring  to  the  remembrance" 
of  men  the  Word  of  God.  Therefore  when 
the  Spirit  speaks  to  the  soul,  through  the  con- 
science, His  voice  is  always  in  unison  with 
Scripture,  otherwise  it  is  not  the  voice  of  the 
Spirit.  We  cannot  trust  the  unenlightened 
conscience.  As  the  North  Star  guides  the 
mariners  unerringly,  so  it  is  the  Bible  alone, 
the  revealed  Word  of  God,  that  guides  the 
life  of  man  aright.  The  mariner's  compass 
must  be  tested  by  the  North  Star,  the  watch 
by  the  sun  dial,  the  conscience  by  the  Holy 
Book,  made  plain  by  the  Spirit  of  God. 

Christians  do  not  all  realize  that  not  only 
are  they  permitted  to  have  the  joy  of  a  good 
and  an  enlightened  conscience,  but  they  are 
commanded  to  have  this  priceless  possession. 
If  any  doubt  it,  the  proof  is  readily  given  in 
the  following  clear  commands :  "  Let  us  draw 
near  with  a  true  heart  in  full  assurance  of 
25 


^^  faith,  having  our  hearts  sprinkled  from  an 
^P  evil  conscience.*'  "Herein  do  I  exercise  my- 
^^^^  self  to  have  a  conscience  void  of  offense  toward 
God  and  toward  man."  "Now  the  end  of 
this  commandment  is  charity  out  of  a  pure 
heart  and  of  a  good  conscience."  "War  a 
good  warfare;  holding  faith  and  a  good  con- 
science." "How  much  more  shall  the  blood 
of  Christ,  who  through  the  Eternal  Spirit 
offered  Himself  without  spot  to  God,  purge 
your  conscience  from  dead  works  to  serve  the 
living  God?"  *'My  conscience  also  bearing 
me  witness  in  the  Holy  Ghost."  That  con- 
science which  is  pure  before  God  is  enlight- 
ened by  the  Spirit. 

Some  one  will  say :  "  How  may  I  be  assured 
that  God  is  speaking  to  me,  even  when  I  think 
I  hear  His  admonitions.^"  Being  unaccus- 
tomed to  listen  for  His  voice,  we  do  not  recog- 
nize it  readily,  and  some  of  us  must  go  farther 
and  acknowledge  to  our  shame  that,  at  times, 
we  do  not  wish  to  recognize  God's  voice,  lest 
our  plans  be  interfered  with.  We  are  starting 
26 


®t)e  Uoice  of  (gob 


on  our  way,  and  do  the  act  contemplated,  or 
that  we  should  at  once  attend  to  something 
neglected.  If  we  wish  to  know  whether  or 
not  this  is  God's  warning  suggestion,  the  way 
to  find  out  is  plain:  Ask!  Stop  where  you 
are,  and  ask  Him— pray !  It  takes  but  a  mo- 
ment to  lift  the  heart  to  God,  and  we  have 
countless  promises  that  reply  will  be  given. 
Many  of  us  stifle  such  convictions,  and  hasten 
on  our  way,  sometimes  to  great  danger,  from 
which,  in  His  infinite  mercy,  God  often  de- 
livers us.  But  there  is  a  distressing  descrip- 
tion of  those  who  utterly  reject  God's  admoni- 
tions and  go  on  heedlessly  in  their  own  evil 
way.  *'I  know  thy  abode,  and  thy  going  out, 
and  thy  coming  in,  and  thy  rage  against  me. 
Because  thy  rage  against  me  and  thy  tumult 
is  come  up  into  mine  ears,  therefore,  I  will 
put  mine  hook  in  thy  nose,  and  my  bridle  in 
thy  lips,  and  I  will  turn  thee  back  by  the  way 
by  which  thou  camest." 
27 


m 


upon  a  certain  course,  and  within  us  comes  a 
vague  sense,  that  we  had  better  not  proceed    *j^^ 


^oul 


^oul 


STfte  Uoice  of  (§ob 

^"  God  does  not  deal  thus  harshly  with  us  with- 
"^?  out  warning.  "  I  will  instruct  thee  and  teach 
thee  in  the  way  which  thou  shalt  go.  I  will 
guide  thee  with  mine  eye.  Be  ye  not  as  the 
horse  and  mule  which  have  no  understand- 
ing, whose  mouth  must  be  held  in  with  bit 
and  bridle."  Yet  in  spite  of  God's  commands 
and  promises  we  often  persist  in  going  on  as 
Balaam  did,  until  he  was  confronted  by  the 
angel  with  the  drawn  sword:  "Behold  I  went 
out  to  withstand  thee,  because  thy  way  is 
perverse  before  me.'* 

How  dare  we  attempt  to  go  recklessly  on, 
"Lest  haply  we  be  found  even  to  fight 
against  God."  "What  are  we  that  we  could 
withstand  God?"  That  which  He  ordains 
we  "cannot  overthrow."  How  much  simpler, 
safer,  nobler  to  be  as  the  little  child,  who  at 
the  first  suggestion  that  God  was  speaking  to 
him  said :  "  Speak,  Lord,  for  thy  servant  hear- 
eth,"  and  having  heard  heeded.  To  refuse  to 
heed  God's  voice,  speaking  to  us  through  the 
enlightened  conscience,  to  persist  in  doing,  or 
28 


neglecting  to  do  that  about  which  this  intier    ^^ 
monitor  warns  us,  is  to  "resist"  and  to  "grieve"    ^P 
the  Holy  Spirit  of  God!  S>OUl 

Our  Saviour  was  in  close  union  with  the 
Holy  Spirit  and  led  by  Him.  Two  notable 
examples  were:  when  the  Spirit  came  upon 
Him  at  baptism,  and  when  He  was  led  of  the 
Spirit  into  the  wilderness  to  be  tempted. 
Of  Christ  it  was  written,  "God  giveth  not 
the  Spirit  by  measure  unto  Him." 

The  most  deeply  spiritual  converse  that  our 
God  ever  has  with  us,  is  when  the  **  Spirit 
beareth  witness  with  our  spirit  that  we  are 
the  children  of  God."  A  striking  illustration 
of  this  occurred  recently,  when  a  young  col- 
lege girl,  being  present  during  a  conversation 
about  the  Holy  Spirit,  said  sadly:  "I  think  I 
have  never  truly  heard  His  voice!"  But 
when  she  was  asked  if  He  had  not  witnessed 
with  her  spirit  that  she  was  the  child  of  God, 
a  deep  light  shone  in  her  eyes,  and  she  bowed 
her  head  in  reverent  acquiescence. 

Another  young  woman,  who  had  finished 
29 


Wbt  y Dice  of  (^ob 

^^  her  academic  course,  hearing  a  similar  con- 
"^c  versation,  said  Hghtly:  "Oh,  I  do  not  believe 
^"***'  as  I  used,  I  am  taking  the  scientifie  view ! " — 
forgetting  that  "without  Christ  was  not  any- 
thing made  that  was  made  " — and  unmindful 
that  if  she  had  given  up  her  Saviour,  she  "had 
done  despite  to  the  Spirit  of  Grace"  and 
"  had  trodden  under  foot  the  Son  of  God,  and 
had  counted  the  blood  of  the  covenant,  where- 
with we  are  sanctified,  an  unholy  thing."  She 
had  remained  true  to  her  childhood's  mother- 
love,  but  was  too  frail  to  stem  the  tide  of 
adverse  influence  and  hold  fast  to  her  early 
faith  in  her  Creator — ^her  God — her  Saviour, 
for  "There  is  none  other  name  under  heaven 
given  among  men,  whereby  we  must  be  saved." 
Christ  "appeared  to  put  away  sin  by  the  sac- 
rifice of  himself,"  for  "without  shedding  of 
blood  is  no  remission." 

Even  more  blameworthy  than  this  young 
girl  are  those  who  despoiled  her  of  her  child- 
hood's inheritance.  Faith,  more  than  a  "good 
name  in  man  and  woman"   "is  the  immedi- 
30 


tKije  Uoice  of  i^ob 

ate    jewel  of  their  souls,"  and    he    or  she    ^" 
that  "filched"  from  her  this  priceless  gem       **};c 

"Robbed  her  of  that  which  not  enriched  him 
And  left  her  poor  indeed." 

"Whoso  shall  offend  one  of  these  little  ones 
that  believe  in  me,  it  were  better  for  him  that 
a  millstone  were  hanged  about  his  neck,  and 
that  he  were  drowned  in  the  depth  of  the  sea." 

Youth  needs  the  tender,  watchful  care  of 
those  whom  "  the  Holy  Spirit  hath  made  over- 
seers, to  feed  the  church  of  God,  which  He 
hath  purchased  with  His  own  blood." 

More  sad  it  seems  that  we  should  turn  from 
the  Holy  One,  when  He  is  so  gracious,  and 
His  gifts  are  so  free.  Even  the  presence  of 
the  Spirit  is  a  gift — not  earned  by  us :  "  Your 
Heavenly  Father  shall  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to 
them  that  ask  Him.  "And  it  is  by"  the  Spirit  that 
we  are  sealed  unto  the  day  of  redemption." 

We  hear  a  great  deal  of  the  Spirit-filled  life, 
but  surely  only  that  life  is  filled  with  the  Spirit, 
which  in  every  direction  manifests  the  fruit 
31 


in 


of  the  Spirit.  "  If  we  live  in  the  Spirit  let  us 
also  walk  in  the  Spirit.'*  Christians  are  far 
too  well  satisfied,  to  have  an  occasional  evi- 
dence of  the  presence  of  the  Spirit,  while  great 
territories  of  their  inner  nature  lie,  as  it  were, 
in  darkness  unexplored  by  the  light  of  God, 
unyielded  to  the  sway  of  the  Spirit. 

The  Christian  who  continues  to  give  way 
to  irritability  or  ill  temper,  surely  cannot  de- 
ceive herself  into  believing  that  she  has  a 
Spirit-filled  life.  In  that  part  of  her  nature 
the  Spirit  is  simply  not  reigning.  There  may 
be  other  regions  conquered  by  Him,  held  by 
his  loving  sway.  She  may  be  unselfish  and 
prompt,  orderly  and  neat,  and  may  be  more  or 
less  faithful  in  searching  the  Scriptures  and  in 
prayer,  but  in  the  place,  small  or  great,  where 
sin  reigns,  the  voice  of  the  Spirit  is  not  obeyed 
and  the  conscience  is  not  pure  before  God. 

Nor  could  one  claim  to  be  following  the 
voice  of  the  Spirit,  whose  faults  were  the  re- 
verse of  those  named.  Persons  who  are  care- 
less, untidy,  thoughtless,  forgetful,  discon- 
32 


tE[)e  IJotce  of  #ob 

tented,  unforgiving,  vain  or  selfish,  false  or    *^**^ 
full  of  pride  and  self-will,  or  those  who  slander    •JJc 
or  who  **take  up  a  reproach  against"  others,    "'^Wl 
surely  cannot  think  they  are  harkening  to  the 
Spirit,  though  their  conscience  may  be  sore, 
almost  to  the  touch,  with  His  continuous  re- 
proachful   suggestions,    beseeching    them    to 
amend  their  ways.     This  is,  I  believe,  not  in- 
frequently the   case  with  believers,  who  have 
not  yet  realized  their  possibilities,  and  the 
infinite  power  of  God — to  aid  them  even  in 
their  besetting  frailties. 

A  joyful  acquiescence  in  our  life,  and  a  real 
effort  to  meet  it,  in  Christ's  strength,  however 
hard  it  may  seem,  is  one  of  the  proofs  of 
hearing  the  Spirit's  voice.  God  says :  "  What- 
soever thy  hand  findeth  to  do,  do  it  with  thy 
might,"  and,  "Be  ye  perfect  even  as  your 
Father  which  is  in  Heaven  is  perfect."  With 
the  growth  in  faith  and  love  to  God,  comes 
also  to  the  yielded  life,  an  increasing  exact- 
ness in  the  everyday  tasks,  and  this  we  should 
pray  for  and  expect. 

33 


tlTije  yjoitt  of  (§ob 

^•^  The  Holy  Spirit  is  the  great  character 
"^J^  builder.  It  is  through  His  grace,  that  we  are 
^'^^  enabled  "  with  all  diligence  to  add  to  our  faith, 
virtue,  knowledge,  temperance,  godliness, 
patience;" — and  this  is  the  "patience  which 
through  tribulation  worketh  experience  and 
hope."  Through  the  power  of  the  Spirit  we 
abandon  the  old  habits  and  establish  the  new, 
and  what  is  character  but  the  accumulation 
and  amalgamation  of  habits  of  faith — thought 
— feeling — speech  and  action. 

Where  the  Spirit  leads  there  is  neither  error 
nor  regret,  and  if  we  are  led  impulsively  to  do 
something,  feeling  we  are  led  of  the  Spirit,  as 
some  misguided  persons  often  are,  and  later 
find  we  must  apologize  for  our  error,  the  proof 
is  conclusive  that  not  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God, 
but  another  influence  guided  us.  God's 
Spirit  is  always  right  in  His  guidance,  always 
in  accordance  with  Scripture  and  therefore 
not  to  be  repented  of. 

Life  has  many  perplexing  places,  my  dear 
friends,  and  my  heart  is  full  of  tenderness 
34 


Cfie  l^oitt  of  (gob 

and  sympathy  for  you.     I  wish  I  could  be    ^^ 
near  and  put  my  arms  about  you,  when  these    *^ 
times  come  to  you,  and  let  you  know  how  my    ^'''***' 
heart  yearns  for  you. 

The  decisions  of  life  are  the  hardest  part  of 
all,  and  there  is  no  way  to  escape  them;  they 
must  be  met.  Yet  we  need  never  meet  them 
alone.  God  is  always  near  with  plain  prom- 
ises. He  commands  us  to  "ask,"  to  "seek," 
and  He  promises  to  be  near  and  to  answer. 
But  beware  that  you  hear  His  voice  aright, — 
not  by  some  detached  portion  of  Scripture, 
found  at  random  by  opening  the  Bible  where 
it  chances  to  part;  not  by  such  lottery  does 
He  lead  His  children  along  the  right  path,  but 
by  the  same  still  small  voice,  the  Spirit  re- 
vealing the  Word.  We  have  sometimes  to 
wait,  and  in  cases  of  deep  need  we  may  have 
to  wait  long — so  long  that  our  patience  is 
deepened  and  our  faith  strengthened,  but  I 
will  quote  to  you  a  verse  that  has  helped  me 
at  such  times:  "Who  is  among  you  that  fear- 
eth  the  Lord,  that  obeyeth  the  voice  of  His 
35 


tKfje  Iffoitt  of  #ob 

^*^  servant,  that  walketh  in  darkness  and  hath 
"^^  no  light?  let  him  trust  in  the  name  of  the 
™01U    Lord  and  stay  upon  his  God." 

And  let  us  always  remember  that:  "The 
steps  of  a  good  man  are  ordered  by  the  Lord," 
and  that  He  says :  "  Ye  shall  hear  a  word  be- 
hind you  saying  this  is  the  way,  walk  ye  in  it, 
when  ye  turn  to  the  right  hand  and  to  the  left." 

These  promises  are  for  our  assurance,  but 
the  way  that  God  usually  guides  His  people  is 
by  the  trend  of  the  teachings  of  the  Bible,  re- 
vealing God's  will  and  made  plain  to  us  by 
the  Spirit  of  God  in  the  soul.  Little  by  little 
we  learn  to  understand  God's  mind  and  will 
concerning  the  matter  in  question,  and  our 
own  wills  acquiesce  in  His.  If  you  should 
ask  me  how  I  have  been  guided,  I  could  but 
say  that  in  my  deepest  perplexity,  I  have 
prayed,  read  my  Bible  and  waited  upon  the 
Lord ;  and  when  at  last  I  have  seen  my  way  it 
has  been  shown  me  so  simply  and  naturally, 
so  gradually,  that  I  almost  wondered  why  I 
had  hesitated.     Nevertheless  I  know  that  the 

36 


tKfje  ^oice  of  (gob 


power  to  act  and  go  foreward,  in  any  given 


hindered  is  also  a  painful  reality.  God  alone 
can  help  in  such  cases.  Then  it  is  that  abiding 
faith,  fervent  prayer,  strong  cries,  eager  and 
continuous  study  of  the  Bible  will  avail, 
appealing  to  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  to 
enlighten  us. 

I  asked  a  most  devout  Christian  woman,  a 
dear  friend,  about  her  view  of  God's  voice  to 
us  and  His  guidance,  and  she  said  the  diflBculty 
often  was  that  we  did  not  come  before  Him 
silent  so  that  we  could  hear  Him  and  empty 
so  that  we  could  be  filled  with  His  Spirit  and 
He  could  lead  us.  It  is  only  the  empty  bucket 
that  can  be  filled  with  pure  water. 

Oftentimes  we  come  only  because  we  are 
in  trouble  and  we  are  not  accustomed  to  dis- 
cerning the  inner  voice.  We  cannot  hear  it, 
because  we  do  not  recognize  it.  Our  spiritual 
sense  is  dulled  from  disuse  and  past  heedless- 
ness. The  voice  of  the  Spirit  in  such  a  soul 
reminds  us  of  the  piteous  wail  of  the  bird, 
37 


m 


case,  is  a  reality,  and  that  the  feeling  of  being    ^^ 


^otU 


^*^    warning  away  Ulysses  and  his  mariners  from 
"^?    the  fatal  shore.     Only  one  of  them  heard  and 
9UUi    heeded   the   cry.     The   earth-sounds   so   en- 
grossed the  rest  that  they  heeded  not  and 
were  drawn  on  to  their  ruin. 

Our  age  is  not  characterized  by  intent  lis- 
tening. The  picture  of  the  Indian  scout,  so 
vividly  described,  is  a  strange  one  to  us :  lying 
upon  the  ground  for  hours  or  days,  uncon- 
scious of  the  passage  of  time,  abnormally  keen 
to  hear  or  see.  History  gives  us  a  touching 
example  of  eager  listening:  we  see  again  a 
crouching  female  figure,  "her  ear  unto  the 
ground, "  we  hear  her  shout  of  triumph  amid 
the  despair  and  the  din  of  battle — as  she  alone 
recognizes  reinforcements  from  afar: 

"O,  dinna  ye  hear 
The  slogan  far  awa? 
The  McGregors, — O,  I  ken  it  weel; 
It's  the  grandest  o'  them  a' !" 

These  homely  examples  may  help  us   to 
realize  that  we  have  not  thus  eagerly  awaited 
succor  from  our  Heavenly  Saviour,  and  when 
38 


€i)e  'Foice  of  (gob 

we   do,  we   shall  recognize  His  first  gentle    ^^ 
approach.  ^P 

All  along  the  dangerous  way  we  must  be  ^^'J^ 
praying.  Nehemiah  is  a  strong  example  of 
this,  as  he  stood  in  the  presence  of  the  king, 
while  the  noble,  courageous  Joshua  is  a  warn- 
ing to  us  all;  brave  and  devout  in  the  great 
onflow  of  his  life,  at  one  time  of  crucial  testing, 
he  simply  used  his  own  judgment,  failed  to 
"inquire  of  God"  for  light,  and  brought  dis- 
grace and  disaster  upon  himself  and  God's 
people. 

God  always  guides  His  children  who  are 
willing  to  be  guided.  We  have  but  to  place 
our  hand  in  His  and  He  will  lead  us  unerringly. 
But  let  us  remember  that  "there  can  be  no 
new  light  upon  a  Divine  command" — even 
our  strong  cries  to  Heaven  cannot  change  a 
plain  statement  of  God's  Word. 

The  religion  of  eTesus  Christ  is  no  vagary ;  it 

is  a  reality.     It  is  more  penetrating  than  all  of 

the  sciences, — "piercing  even  to  the  dividing 

asunder  of  the  soul  and  spirit  and  is  a  discerner 

39 


tKije'Foiceof  (iob 


m 


of  the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the  heart.**    It 
"^<P    has  jurisdiction  over  each  act,  each  thought  of 


^oul 


the  hfe.  Nothing  is  too  small  to  come  under 
its  dominion.  I  was  surprised  when  talking 
to  a  fervent  Christian  to  find  that  he  always 
considered  questions  of  health,  carelessness  in 
taking  cold,  imprudence  in  diet,  and  the  like, 
as  wrongs  against  the  family  only,  and  not  as 
coming  under  the  notice  or  the  judgment  of 
God.  This  seems  a  grave  mistake,  for  all  the 
life  may  hinge  upon  some  cold  taken,  or  some 
indigestion  grown  into  an  illness.  Did  not  the 
fate  of  nations  hang  upon  the  cackling  of 
geese  in  one  instance,  and  keeping  the  powder 
dry  in  another.^ 

We  meet  people  with  odd  views,  and  if  they 
are  shared  by  any  of  us,  it  would  help  us  to 
consider  them.  There  is  an  idea  entertained 
by  many  which  is  fatalism,  and  not  the  teach- 
ing of  God's  Word.  It  would  indicate  that  no 
effort  on  our  part  is  needful,  that  whatever 
course  we  pursue,  God  is  with  us,  aiding  us, 
but  this  is  distinctly  wrong.  When  you  or 
40 


Cfje  "^oice  of  <iob 

I  go  stubbornly  on  our  way — the  way  of  evil —    ^^ 
He  certainly  does  not  guide  us.     If  we  wish    *"^ 
to  be  coworkers  with  God,  we  must  avoid    ^'^•** 
drifting  on  the  one  hand,  and  self-will  on  the 
other,  and  must  ask  guidance.     To  be  led  of 
God  is  a  reality,  only  to  be  achieved  by  gen- 
uine spiritual  union  with  Him. 

Our  Master  was  also  guided  by  the  provi- 
dences of  God.  His  great  miracles,  manifest- 
ing His  power  over  man  and  nature,  were 
elicited  by  the  conditions  of  life  about  Him. 
Illustrations  of  this  are  the  stilling  of  the 
storm,  the  healing  of  disease  and  the  satisfy- 
ing of  the  hungry  multitude. 

We,  too,  are  both  led  and  controlled  by  the 
providences  of  God,  but  we  must  look  to  God 
for  His  own  interpretation  in  all  apparent  dis- 
asters, lest  we  think  we  discern  in  some  hap- 
pening a  meaning  they  were  not  intended  to 
convey.  It  is  dangerous  to  take  our  own  view 
of  providences,  unaided  by  the  light  from  God's 
Word  and  His  Spirit,  and  even  then,  we  must 
often  wait,  simply  trusting,  for  He  has  said: 
41 


Wi)t  ^oitt  of  #ob 

in  "What  I  do  thou  knowest  not  now;  but  thou 
"*P  shalt  know  hereafter."  Frequently  in  His 
^ulU  deahngs  with  us.  He  controls  us  by  closing  a 
door  against  us,  or  in  a  reverse  way  He  leads 
us,  by  opening  to  us  a  plain  and  suitable 
opportunity.  God  enlightens  our  intellect, 
clears  our  judgment  and  strengthens  our 
purpose.  The  whole  being  is  under  His  sway, 
if  we  look  to  Him  and  trust  Him. 

I  have  a  theory  that  earnest  teachers  of 
God  often  fail  to  help  others  as  they 
might,  because  they  do  not  reveal  to  them  their 
own  personal  experience.  Naturally,  what  we 
have  ourselves  gone  through  is  better  known, 
more  real  and  more  vivid  to  us  than  anything 
else.  This,  a  humble  man  thinks  too  poor  to 
offer  to  others,  yet  it  is  just  this,  the  thing 
he  knows,  that  we  want.  I  tried  to  get  for 
you,  from  Christian  friends  who  are  truly  liv- 
ing epistles  of  God,  some  of  these  vital  experi- 
ences, and  I  value  them  more  than  I  can  tell 
you  and  I  have  myself  profited  by  them.  Mak- 
ing your  need  an  excuse,  I  learned  from  these 
42 


tCfje  Uoice  of  (gob 

friends  things  I  had  not  understood,  although    ^"^ 
I  have  known  some  of  them  for  years,  and  I    ^^ 
prize  what  they  told  me  as  hidden  treasure.        "IJWl 

These  friends,  whom  I  quote,  may  truly 
be  termed  successful  Christians,  otherwise  I 
should  not  have  wished  to  consult  them.  It 
is  to  those  whom  we  deem  successful  that  we 
apply  for  advice,  not  to  those  who  are  incom- 
petent, discouraged,  "down-in-the-mouth,"  as 
realistic  speakers  describe  them.  When  we 
say  successful,  we  do  not  necessarily  mean  in 
money -making  or  in  the  acquisition  of  worldly 
power;  that  man  is  deemed  successful  who 
attains  what  he  seeks,  if  the  things  sought  for 
are  worthy.  St.  Paul,  for  instance,  was  pre- 
eminently so,  and  Peter  and  numberless  of 
God's  people  since — among  whom  are  the 
friends  I  shall  quote. 

One  of  them  is  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  who 
while  wielding  a  power  for  God  throughout 
the  Church,  is  personally  a  humble  follower 
of  Jesus,  in  close  communion  with  Him.  You 
need  only  to  know  him  to  be  assured  of  this. 
43 


Wbt  Iffoitt  of  (^ob 

^*^  He  says  concerning  the  voice  of  God  in  the 
*"'c  soul,  that  if  Christ  should  come  to  us  in  per- 
^ulU  gQjj^  as  ^Q  ju  Quj.  perplexity  so  often  wish, 
He  would,  after  making  all  things  clear  to  us, 
say:  **My  child,  all  of  these  questions  had 
been  already  fully  answered  in  my  Word.  If 
you  had  but  known  your  Bible  all  would  have 
been  as  plain  to  you  as  now,  when  I  have 
spoken  the  words  to  you  myself."  He  main- 
tains that  God  guides  His  people  by  bringing 
to  their  remembrance  through  the  power  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  the  words  of  His  Holy  Book, 
not  a  verse  here  and  there  but  the  whole  trend 
of  the  teaching  of  the  Scriptures.  He  says 
emphatically  that  we  have  no  knowledge  of 
God's  will  except  from  the  Bible.  The  Quak- 
ers spoke  of  a  knowledge  through  the  Spirit 
alone,  but  whenever  they  said  anything  to 
edification,  it  was  something  recalled  from 
the  previous  reading  and  study  of  God's 
Word. 

In  answer  to  the  question :    *'  How  to  re- 
prove a  case  of  flagrant  wrong?"  this  saint  of 
44 


God,  with  evident  reluctance,  replied:  "After    *** 
long  preparation  sometimes  a  word  will  do  it."    ^^ 
When  asked  if  by  preparation  he  meant  long    ^'^W* 
continued  prayer  and  reading  of  God's  Word, 
he  bowed  his  head  in  reverent  assent.      It 
is  but  another  phase  of  the  same  truth,  the 
Spirit  of  God  applying  the  Word  of  God  to 
our  hearts,  until  He  can  speak  through  us. 

I  submitted  our  question  also  to  a  man  of 
aflFairs,  prominent  and  successful,  a  scientific 
as  well  as  a  business  man,  honored  both  in  the 
church  and  in  the  world.  I  asked  him  what 
he  would  say  about  the  voice  of  God  in  the 
soul  to  a  young  man  if  he  should  come  to  him 
for  advice.  Having  heard  men,  both  young 
and  old,  speak  of  his  influence  with  them  in 
his  counsel  as  well  as  in  his  life,  I  listened  with 
peculiar  interest  for  his  reply.  He  answered : 
"I  should  tell  him  to  read  his  Bible  and  to 
keep  on  his  knees ;  he  could  not  expect  God  to 
furnish  him  with  a  special  book  of  instruc- 
tions." This  he  said  meditatively,  and  then 
breaking  ofif,  added:  "If  any  one  asked  me 
45 


**^  to  write  upon  this  subject  I  should  just  refuse 
WtP  to  do  it." 
290111  Again  I  referred  the  question  to  a  minister, 
a  pastor,  a  godly  man,  and  immediately  he 
replied,  that  in  this  question  is  involved  the 
modern  danger — men  depending  upon  their 
consciousness  of  the  will  of  God,  instead  of 
going  to  the  Bible  itself  and  depending  upon 
the  truth  revealed  there.  In  this  I  acquiesced, 
assuring  him  I  realized  that  the  subject  in- 
cludes the  whole  question  of  the  realm  and 
work  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  but  that  I  wanted  to 
know  from  him,  how  he  personally  knew  the 
voice  and  received  His  guidance — in  regard  to 
his  own  daily  duties.  He  replied,  "I  pray, — I 
begin  in  the  morning,  and  I  pray  in  the  night." 
Genuine  prayer,  not  a  passing  light  petition, 
was  indicated.  He  went  on  to  say  that  he 
begged  to  be  enabled  to  choose  aright  among 
his  many  duties,  knowing  which  to  place  first, 
and  to  keep  at  and  fulfill  those  chosen.  He 
implored,  just  for  that  day,  to  be  kept  from 
doing  the  thing  which  was  easy  and  which 
46 


^t  ^oice  of  (gob 

he  preferred,  and  from  leaving  the  task  that  ^^ 
was  distasteful  to  him.  I  have  seen  this  man  ^P 
live,  and  I  thanked  God  for  this  insight  into 
his  methods,  for  it  had  seemed  to  me  that 
it  must  be  easy  for  him  to  go  steadily  and 
successfully  on  through  his  many  and  great 
diflSculties. 

He  said  he  graded  his  duties  according  to 
the  standard  laid  down  in  the  Bible,  placing 
the  purely  spiritual  first,  even  among  those 
that  were  religious.  And  I  dare  not  fail  to 
add  that  he  placed  first  of  all,  the  necessity  to 
be  a  devout  Christian  himself.  Therefore,  the 
most  imperative  duty  of  the  day  was  the  read- 
ing and  study  of  the  Bible  and  prayer  to 
God,  thus  getting  into  close  personal  relation 
with  Him. 

Still  another  friend  I  consulted,  a  lady  who 
has  amazed  many  who  have  watched  her  live 
— and  those  nearest  have  wondered  most — at 
the  great  and  small  duties  her  frail  strength 
has  performed.  She  replied,  "I  pray,"  and, 
"I  begin  in  the  night  to  implore  help  and 
47 


^DUl 


Wtjt  liJoitt  of  <§ob 

^^  strength  for  the  following  day."  The  first 
***P  hour  and  a  half  in  the  morning  is  given  to 
her  devotions,  and  after  this,  those  who  go  to 
her  for  spiritual  companionship  and  help,  as 
I  have  done,  find  her  fully  equipped  and  help- 
ful. I  learned,  moreover,  that  her  last  con- 
scious thought  at  night  was  of  her  Saviour 
and  she  prayed  that  her  first  waking  thought 
might  be  of  Him. 

Will  you  bear  with  me  a  few  moments 
longer,  for  I  feel  I  should  be  betraying  a 
trust  if,  in  view  of  your  confidence  in  me,  in 
asking  me  to  expound  this  difficult  subject  to 
you,  I  failed  to  tell  you  something  from  my 
own  life  which  might  help  you. 

The  experience  came  to  me  at  a  time  of 
earnest  seeking  after  God,  and  I  believe  special 
spiritual  blessings  are  apt  to  come  at  such 
times.  I  had  two  distinct  and  unusual  ex- 
periences of  the  voice  of  the  Spirit  in  my  own 
heart  and  Hfe  and  they  were  many  years  apart. 
— Some  might  say  they  were  coincidence  or 
imagination,  but  I  will  tell  you  of  them  and 
48 


Wi)t  "^oice  of  (§ob 

you  may  judge.  It  is  certain  tliat  they  have  '^^^ 
left  a  deep  impression  upon  my  Hfe,  and  I 
consider  them  but  another  direct  evidence  of 
the  reahty  of  God  and  His  speaking  to  man. 
Nor  are  they  more  remarkable  than  the  ordi- 
nary way  in  which  the  Spirit  recalls  the  Bible 
to  our  souls  day  by  day.  In  olden  times  God 
spoke  often  by  fire  from  Heaven;  now  He  re- 
veals Himself  by  light  in  the  soul. 

What  I  am  going  to  tell  you  occurred  sev- 
eral years  ago,  before  I  moved  from  St.  Louis. 
I  was  away  from  home,  and  was  held  in  the 
grip  of  God's  pro\ddences,  as  we  always  are. 
Whichever  way  I  turned  there  seemed  diffi- 
culty and  though  what  I  ought  to  do  seemed 
indicated,  I  did  not  feel  at  peace  in  going  for- 
ward. My  heart  was  like  the  sea  in  a  storm — 
turbulent!  Then  this  exceptional  experience 
came  to  me,  and  I  have  always  felt  it  was  the 
Holy  Spirit  in  His  wonderful  capacity  as  Com- 
forter. No  special  guidance  came  to  me  from 
it,  but  simply  peace,  which  enabled  me  to  go 
on  in  the  difficult  place  where  I  found  myself. 
49 


Wfit  ^oite  of  (§ob  • 

^•^  The  experience  was  only  thist  I  wakened 
mP  one  morning,  repeating  the  most  wonderful 
^UlU  words — like  words  from  Scripture — though  I 
did  not  remember  ever  having  heard  them 
before.  They  were  gone  when  I  fully  wak- 
ened, only  the  beautiful  impression  remained. 
All  day  they  eluded  me.  I  could  not  recall 
even  a  clause  or  a  word — not  so  much  as  to 
enable  me  to  search  for  them  in  the  concord- 
ance, though  I  would  seek,  and  almost  find 
them,  as  when  we  try  to  recall  a  name  which 
has  slipped  from  our  memory.  The  next 
morning  I  wakened  repeating  the  words,  as 
the  day  before, — and  this  time  I  could  catch 
just  enough  to  find  the  verse  without  doubt 
in  the  Bible. 

The  third  morning  as  I  wakened,  I  was  re- 
peating the  whole  passage  from  beginning  to 
end.  And  is  it  not  strange  that  this  verse  is 
three  times  repeated  in  the  Bible,  almost 
verbatim — ^yet  not  exactly  ?  There  was  differ- 
ence enough  for  me  to  discern  just  which  of 
these  three  verses  was  mine !  I  doubt  whether 
SO 


trije  Voitt  of  <^ob 

you  would  notice  any  difference  unless  your    ^*^ 
attention  was  called  to  it,  but  to  me  it  was    *lj^    ^ 
plain.  fs^'Mw* 

My  idea  that  the  verse  was  new  to  me  was 
dispelled,  in  this  way:  you  remember  one  of 
our  dear  girls  went  years  ago  as  a  missionary 
to  the  Indians;  when  my  letter,  telling  of  this 
experience  was  forwarded  to  her,  she  replied 
that  before  she  left  us  I  had  given  a  lesson, 
taking  this  verse  for  the  text.  It  had  entirely 
slipped  from  my  memory,  but  was  no  new 
revelation,  just  the  old  story  of  the  loving 
Spirit  bringing  to  our  remembrance  the  written 
Word  of  God,  as  He  does  continually  to  the 
children  of  men. 

And  these  are  the  wonderful  words :  "  Why 
art  thou  cast  down,  oh,  my  soul,  and  why  art 
thou  disquieted  within  me,  hope  thou  in  God : 
for  I  shall  yet  praise  Him,  who  is  the  health 
of  my  countenance  and  my  God!"  I  feel 
these  blessed  words  are  peculiarly  mine,  and 
they  have  come  to  me  time  and  again — just 
when  I  have  been  in  dire  need  of  them.  The 
51 


**^  following  are  the  very  similar  verses:  "Why 
••^P  art  thou  cast  down,  O  my  soul?  and  why  art 
^•^^^  thou  disquieted  in  me?  hope  thou  in  God,  for 
I  shall  yet  praise  Him  for  the  help  of  His 
countenance."  "Why  art  thou  cast  down, 
O  my  soul?  and  why  art  thou  disquieted  within 
me?  hope  in  God,  for  I  shall  yet  praise  him, 
who  is  the  health  of  my  countenance  and  my 
God."     Ps.  42:11;  Ps.  42:5;  Ps.  43:5. 

The  other  experience  to  which  I  alluded, 
and  which  to  me  was  far  more  remarkable — 
has  been  one  of  the  strongest  influences  that 
has  come  into  my  life — of  this  I  will  tell  you 
in  the  next  paper  which  you  have  appointed 
for  me. 

Before  I  close,  my  dear  friends,  may  I  say 
a  word  to  those,  who  may  be  with  us  to-day, 
who  have  never  yet  really  listened  to  God's 
voice,  nor  learned  to  recognize  it?  Surely, 
beloved,  you  would  not  want  to  be  closed  out 
from  all  the  blessedness  of  which  we  have 
been  speaking.  He  has  a  special  word  for 
you  to-day  and  the  saddest  warning  of  danger 
52 


Cfje  IJoice  of  (gob 

could  not  be  more  tender :  "  To-day  if  ye  will    ^'^ 
hear  His  voice  harden  not  your  hearts."     He    "^P 
is  near  and  He  longs  to  speak  with  you.     He    ^"Wl 
says:   **Come   now,   let  us   reason   together, 
though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet  they  shall  be 
as  white  as  snow;  though  they  be  red  like 
crimson,  they  shall  be  as  wool."     "  I  will  meet 
with  thee,  and  converse  with  thee."     *'Lo,  I 
am  with  you  always."     "Come  unto  me  and 
rest." 

THE  VOICE  OF  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT 

Holy  Ghost,  unerring  guide, 
Lead  me,  lest  I  turn  aside. 
Let  my  will  so  yielded  be, 
I  can  hear  Thee  speak  to  me. 

When  I'm  turning  to  the  wrong. 
Warn  me  as  with  plaintive  song, 
That  shall  send  a  quivering  fear 
Through  my  soul  of  danger  near. 


53 


tEift  y^oitt  of  <^ob 

^'^  liCt  no  hoped-for,  longed-for  prize, 

WtP  That  could  charm  deluded  eyes, 

^OUl  Make  me  cause  my  Saviour  pain, 

Whatsoe'er  the  fancied  gain. 

When  I  stand  with  faltering  feet 
Where  two  ways  divergent  meet. 
Show  me  which  is  Thine  own  choice 
By  an  inward  holy  voice. 

Bring  to  my  distracted  brain 
Holy  words  that  there  have  lain. 
Learned  from  Scripture  through  my  life 
Make  them  clear  amid  the  strife, 

With  them  Thine  own  voice  shall  be 
Ever  in  full  harmony. 
All  inspired  by  Thy  rich  power, 
Man's  most  priceless  earthly  dower. 

Holy  Comforter  divine. 

Let  me  all  my  care  resign. 

Give  Thy  peace,  Thy  joy.  Thy  rest 

While  I  follow  Thy  behest. 


54 


^fte  Uoice  of  (§ob 

Let  me  not  mine  own  will  seek,  IH 

Make  me  lowly,  gentle,  meek.  Itip 

May  the  Saviour's  holy  face  ^Ottl 
Be  reflected  by  Thy  grace, 

In  my  heart,  my  life,  my  will, 
That  I  may  Thy  plan  fulfill, 
Trusting  every  day  and  hour, 
Leaning  only  on  Thy  power. 

Let  my  heaven  begin  while  here, 
Breathe  upon  me — ever  near — 
In  Christ's  likeness  forming  me 
For  Eternity  with  Thee. 


55 


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